On Saturday, May 7, General Dynamics NASSCO shipbuilders launched and christened another ECO Class tanker that will join the Jones Act fleet. Once delivered, the Garden State will also join the ranks as one of the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly product tankers in the world.
The Garden State is the third of a five-tanker contract between NASSCO and American Petroleum Tankers, which calls for the design and construction of five 50,000 deadweight ton, LNG-conversion-ready product carriers with a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity. The 610-foot-long tankers are equipped with a new “ECO” design, enabling improvement in fuel efficiency and further shaping the future of American maritime shipping.
The construction and operation of the Garden State and its sister ships are aligned with the Jones Act, requiring that ships carrying cargo between U.S. ports be built in U.S. shipyards, further protecting hundreds of thousands of American jobs and almost $100 billion in annual economic impact as a result of the domestic American maritime industry. The tankers will be used to transport products—such as petroleum—that help fuel America’s businesses and homes.
The ships were designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of Busan, South Korea. The design incorporates improved fuel efficiency concepts through several features, including a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form. The tankers will also have dual-fuel-capable auxiliary engines and the ability to accommodate future installation of an LNG fuel-gas system.
Source & Image Credit: NASSCO
